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Metroid Prime: Federation Force

Enlist with an elite arm of the Galactic Federation and protect the galaxy in Metroid Prime: Federation Force, only on Nintendo 3DS family systems. In this first-person sci-fi shooter, discover a new adventure in the Metroid universe and team up with marines nearby using local download play or online* to take on action-packed co-op missions!

The Galactic Federation needs you!

The galaxy is not at peace. Following the destruction of Phazon and the corrupted world, Phaaze, the Space Pirate threat remains. As a recruit in the Federation Force, a best-of-the-best unit created by the Galactic Federation, it’s your duty to stamp out the Space Pirate menace. Suit up in specialised battle armour, known as a Mech, and head out to the desolate Bermuda system to investigate reports of suspicious activity, using your handy blaster to eliminate any enemies that get in your way!

Touch down on inhospitable worlds and infiltrate enemy-infested bases, solve environmental puzzles and battle fearsome alien life forms of all shapes and sizes in objective-based missions. Tread carefully as a lone marine, or join a squad of up to four players, locally or online, to take the fight to the Space Pirates!

Fight as one, survive as a squad!

When you’re completing missions as a squad, working together is vital to survival. Before each assignment, divide different types of AUX ammo between your comrades and use them to support each other mid-mission. For example, Repair Capsules can be fired at team-mates to heal them in battle, while the Slow Beam can be used to hinder an enemy to give the rest of your squad the perfect opportunity to lay down some fire!

With each successful mission, you’ll earn MODs that can enhance your Mech’s armour and abilities, preparing you for tougher trials ahead. If you want to give your Mech a fresh new look, customise it with a variety of different paint jobs. With compatible amiibo (sold separately) you can even unlock decals!

Have a blast!

Take a break from fighting Space Pirates and unwind with a round of Blast Ball! In this original futuristic sport, up to six players split into teams and pilot their own individual Mechs, using their cannons to blast a large ball into the opposing team’s goal to score points. Play solo, take on nearby friends and family via Local Play and Download Play, or seek out competition in online multiplayer. This sci-fi sport is a great way to familiarise yourself with your Mech or settle a friendly score among your squad mates!

*Wireless internet connection required for online play. The registration of Nintendo Network ID and acceptance of the network related terms and privacy policies required. Download Play requires each player to have a Nintendo 3DS family system, sold separately.

Story

A historic victory

Cosmic Calendar Year 20X6 – several years have passed since the heroic actions of legendary bounty hunter Samus Aran on planet Phaaze. The corrupted Aurora Unit 313 was destroyed, Phaaze itself was obliterated, and the creeping threat of Phazon was quelled once and for all. The mission was considered a huge success by the Galactic Federation, yet a re-emerging enemy means the safety of the galaxy remains in a precarious state…

A relentless enemy

The nefarious Space Pirates are once again proving a constant and unpredictable threat to the Galactic Federation, one that must be eradicated at all costs if the cosmos is to ever know peace. Consequently, the Federation puts Operation Golem into motion: a military campaign with the purpose of developing tactical superiority over this menacing and long-standing opposition.

Up step the Mechs

Operation Golem’s focus is the development of a new type of battle armour known as Mechs – huge, mechanised exoskeletons piloted by a highly adept squadron of marines. This elite unit is called the Federation Force, and is tasked with keeping the Space Pirates at bay.

Planet hopping

Their directive leads them all around the Bermuda system, from the scorched, scarred surface of Bion, to the harsh, frozen tundra of Excelcion and beyond. Together, they must get to the bottom of the Space Pirates’ increasingly concerning activity and neutralise the very real threat they pose to civilisations throughout the galaxy.

Gameplay

A force to be reckoned with

As a member of the Federation Force, you’re considered the cream of the crop within the Galactic Federation. You’re the first line of assault against the Space Pirates, and only the most dangerous, important tasks fall to you and your squad mates.

Travel to the far reaches of space and thwart the Space Pirates’ plan in Campaign mode. Embark on co-operative missions for up to four players using local Download Play or online multiplayer*, working together to fulfil objectives and fend off foes. Or, if you’re feeling particularly daring, head out on your own with optional AI Combat Drones as your only backup.

Meet your Mech

Federation Force soldiers are specially trained to pilot gigantic, robotic battle frames called Mechs. These metallic behemoths can take plenty of punishment, and come complete with handy gadgets like jet packs, which let you float through the air for a short period of time.

Most importantly, they’re fitted with multi-purpose, energy-shooting blasters. These versatile weapons can fire other types of ammunition as well, known as AUX ammo, including destructive Missiles and health-replenishing Repair Capsules. You can even use your blaster’s energy to attach to zip lines, or build up an explosive Charge Shot that can catch tough enemies off-guard or destroy debris that’s blocking your way!

Aim your blaster freely with motion controls, or focus your fire directly on important opponents or objects with lock-on targeting. If you need even greater accuracy, you can lock on and then fine-tune your targeting with motion controls – perfect for honing in on those pesky enemy weak points! On New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL, it’s also possible to take aim using the built-in C Stick. On Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 3DS XL, you can use a Circle Pad Pro (sold separately) to aim with the second Circle Pad.

Mech on a mission

Being an elite soldier isn’t all shootouts with Space Pirates! Many of the Federation Force’s skirmishes involve combat, but there’s a lot more to its role within the Galactic Federation. Particularly perilous missions involving data recovery and infiltration also fall within the Federation Force’s remit. Occasionally, they even have to capture extremely dangerous life forms!

Missions typically involve exploring your surroundings and clearing out any bad guys that you come across, but throughout the campaign you’ll also be tasked with solving puzzles, or asked to venture deep into ancient ruins to recover vital intel. In other operations, leave the safety of your Mech and sneak through bases undetected, slipping through defence systems and taking cover in places that a Mech couldn’t possibly fit. You’ll also come up against giant bosses on certain expeditions, which will take some serious firepower to defeat!

Communicate, co-operate

On the Touch Screen, you’ll find lists of objectives and maps which show the positions of both allies and enemies. Use the maps in combination with a variety of set voice commands, activated by pressing different directions on the +Control Pad, to keep your squad on the same page, and watch out for each other at all times.

Whatever the mission, working as a squad is the key to success. You’ll need to co-ordinate with one another to open doors, overcome obstacles and cover each other from attacks. If a comrade is low on health and you have a Repair Capsule, don’t hesitate to offer some aid; if a fellow soldier has been floored, help them back to their feet. You won’t taste defeat until every member of your squad is downed, so stay sharp. With a little teamwork, you might just survive this!

Role play

Before each mission, team-mates can choose from a selection of AUX ammo, including offensive weaponry and support items such as enemy-distracting decoys. By dividing this AUX ammo up, each player can take on a particular role within the squad. You might grab all the missiles to become the group’s heavy gunner, nab Repair Capsules and act as the Mech medic, or mix and match to give the whole crew a balanced loadout. Here are just a few of the types of AUX ammo on offer!

However you split the kit, watch your weight limit – marines can only carry a certain amount of AUX ammo at a time. As you use up ammo, replenish your supplies by blowing open crates and other objects. You can even pick up completely different AUX ammo, changing your loadout while you’re in the field.

Give yourself a fighting chance by augmenting your Mech with MODs! These helpful items boost your Mech’s abilities, including weapon power, armour effectiveness, and more. Each Mech has a limited number of MOD slots, though, so you’ll need to choose your approach carefully. There are lots of MODs to choose from, and you can also freshen up your Mech with a new paint job, or assign your character a new voice.

Back to base

During debriefing, you’ll be scored based on how quickly you completed the objective, with extra points awarded for accomplishing optional goals. Get enough points and you’ll earn medals which unlock new paint jobs for your Mech! Successful manoeuvres might also be rewarded with new MODs – any spoils go into one collective pool for the whole squad, so share nicely!

Between sorties, sharpen your skills at the Training Deck. Go for a top score at the Shooting Range, or enter the Combat Sim to protect an unmanned Mech from waves of Space Pirate holograms – how many can you beat? If you prefer to practise outside of a combat setting, get further acquainted with your Mech in a futuristic sport for up to six players: Blast Ball!

*Wireless internet connection required for online play. The registration of Nintendo Network ID and acceptance of the network related terms and privacy policies required. Download Play requires each player to have a Nintendo 3DS family system, sold separately.

Blast Ball

Blast into action

When you need to take a break from the Campaign, climb aboard your Mech and buckle up for adrenaline-pumping sports action in Blast Ball! Go head-to-head in exhilarating, 3-on-3 multiplayer matches in this unique futuristic sport, combining the end-to-end thrills of football with mechanised mayhem and power-ups aplenty.

A competitive team sport for up to six players, Blast Ball forms part of the basic training for the Federation Force. Players pilot their Mechs around the arena and shoot the ball using their blaster, with the ultimate objective of scoring three times in the opposition goal within the five minute time limit.

Play your way

Blast Ball can be enjoyed by up to six players simultaneously via Local Play, Download Play* and even online**! With fast-paced gameplay and quick-fire matches, Blast Ball is the perfect pick-up-and-play multiplayer experience. For those who prefer to play alone, Blast Ball can also be enjoyed in single-player mode, with computer-controlled players filling out the teams.

Lock onto the ball to keep track of its location, strafe around it to find the perfect firing position, then refine your aim using motion controls to hit the ball home. Move about the arena to defend your goal or launch assaults on the opponent’s net, and keep in communication with your team using set voice commands on the +Control Pad.

Fire quick, successive Power Shots to dribble the ball, or wind up a Charge Shot to send it soaring! The ball reacts differently depending on where you place your shots, so aim carefully using motion controls to pass and shoot with precision. You could target the underside of the ball, then unleash a massive blast to lob it right over the heads of the defending team!

Being aware of your surroundings, aiming accurately and, most importantly, working closely with your team is all part of being a Federation Force soldier – using all of these skills in an action-packed sport is a great way for a would-be soldier to prepare for life in the field!

Dodge ball

Should the ball hit you, it’ll hurt! When your energy is reduced to zero, you’ll be temporarily taken out of the game, giving the opposition an advantage until you drop back in. If you feel like playing dirty, smash the ball into your opponents to cause some serious damage and get the upper hand! You can even blast your opponents directly, but don’t get so distracted that you lose track of the ball…

Moving the goalposts

In a devious twist, scoring a goal causes the opposition’s goal to narrow, making it much more difficult to score again. When this happens, you’ll have to place your shots more accurately and launch the ball just right to get another goal!

Supercharge your Mech

Power-ups add another layer of strategy to the action, too! Use the Shield when you’re under pressure, or get an Adrenaline rush to counter-attack with incredible speed and force. Grab the Eject power-up to boot rival team members out of their Mechs: when the opposition are on foot, they won’t be able to defend or shoot back for a few seconds, so you can take advantage of an unguarded goal!

Team up, take down

Drop into Versus matches for straight-up, competitive Blast Ball action against friends and rivals, locally or online*. Versus matches are always 3-on-3, but don’t worry if you can’t find enough players – any empty slots will be filled by computer-controlled Mechs.

Grab your friends and work as a team to take on the co-operative Challenge mode, which pits you against progressively tougher computer-controlled squads across a series of five matches. Just like in Campaign mode, it’s important to work together if you want to emerge victorious! You can train freely in the Practice mode until you’re ready to take on the top teams.

Your rating appears on your Blast Ball profile, showing your prowess for all-comers to see. It’ll rise and fall as you win and lose games, while impressive performances will also unlock new paint jobs, which you can use to customise your Mech’s appearance.

Available in Nintendo eShop

Metroid Prime: Blast Ball is also available now as a free** download in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS family systems.

*Please note: Download Play requires each player to have a Nintendo 3DS family system, sold separately.

amiibo

If you tap a compatible amiibo (sold separately), you can give your Mech a fresh look with unlockable paint jobs, allowing you to blast away Space Pirates in style! Some amiibo will even give you a special advantage in battle!

Using amiibo

If you own a New Nintendo 3DS or New Nintendo 3DS XL, you can use amiibo on the NFC area on the bottom screen. You can also use amiibo on Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS via the NFC Reader/Writer accessory (sold separately).